Messages

1

Announcements / Re: Mission Manager v9.5 - APRS Tracking, Custom Mission Types, Other Stuff...

« on: February 13, 2013, 02:27:58 PM »

• APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System) Tracking - A new APRS Tracking setting in the Configuration allows you to enter a list of APRS callsigns (separated by commas), this will enable a new map layer "APRS Tracking" that will show those APRS locations on the MM map.

Thanks for adding APRS Tracking.  We rely on this quite a bit!

Max

2

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: February 11, 2012, 08:11:58 PM »

We had a big simulation today with eight teams participating (representing ARES, CERT, MRC, SAR).  The simulation was an F5 ripping through the community.  The tornado path was mapped in MM.  The bonus -- and it was a major bonus -- was being able to turn on the layers and see how much of the first responder infrastructure was wide out.  We took out two major hospitals, three police stations and a dozen or so fire houses.  The ability to identify what's still up and where live resources are was a tremendous help in targeting the response.


Great tool.  Thank you!


Max

3

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Ham License Number

« on: January 18, 2012, 04:14:38 PM »

Yes, to activate one or more of these fields you need to give it a description in the Configuration - like "HAM Num" or something.  Once it has a description in the Configuration it will appear on the Members page.

Good deal!  It's in and it looks good.  Thank you!

4

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Ham License Number

« on: January 18, 2012, 04:05:33 PM »

There is now a new Member "String" field type that can be used to track arbitrary numbers for members. 
See: http://www.radishworks.com/forum/index.php?topic=178.0

Maybe I'm doing this wrong and need training.  I see the fields under Configuration/Member Fields, but not in members.  Do I need to do something to activate these fields?  (Yes, I did hit F5.)


Max

5

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: December 30, 2011, 05:32:40 PM »

Any plans to add fire stations and police/sheriff stations to the layers?

Good idea.  Done.

Very cool.  Thank you.  Happy New Year!


Max

6

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: December 29, 2011, 07:28:03 PM »

New "Hospitals" layer on the maps page.  The data source is coming from http://www.openstreetmap.org/

The hospital layer does look good on the map.  I'm a little disappointed that this layer includes nursing homes, mental facilities, non-emergency clinics and sanatoriums, but on the whole, it throws valuable information on the map.  I probably would not have considered an urgent care facility normally, but having it on the map for me to look at is a bonus.  They can be mini emergency rooms and that's valuable.


Any plans to add fire stations and police/sheriff stations to the layers?


Thank you.


Max

7

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: December 27, 2011, 09:20:04 AM »

New "Hospitals" layer on the maps page.  The data source is coming from http://www.openstreetmap.org/

I love it!  I'll need to play with it some more, but this looks really good.


Thank you.


 Max

8

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Ham License Number

« on: December 19, 2011, 06:43:44 AM »

Same here.  Because we made a conscious decision to use amateur bands and don't issue radios to members, we use Radio# as the slot to store the call sign.


This may come around and bite us, though, as the state has initiated an 800-trunking discussion with us.


I would not be opposed to having an FCC call sign and an associated expiration field available.


Max

9

Announcements / Re: Mission Manager - 5.6 Misc. New Features

« on: December 19, 2011, 06:34:40 AM »

• New and improved "System Access Report" on the Reports page

I'm using Chrome and when I go to the System Access Report, Chrome automatically tries to print it.  I just want to look at the report, not print it.  Is this a setting on my side or on yours?


Thanks.


Max

10

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: November 28, 2011, 08:50:50 PM »

It looks promising as a concept, but their sample window only seems to generate results in Manhattan.  If you can make it work and they have current data, it would be perfect.


Max

11

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: Places of Interest

« on: November 26, 2011, 10:01:55 PM »

Mike,

If there is no feed available, I'd be happy to get the ball rolling by providing coordinates for my area.  Will WGS84 work for you?  How do you want me to get the file to you?  Any special format that will work best?  (Are you familiar with MARPLOT's *.mie?)


Thanks.


Max

12

Feature Requests and Issues / Places of Interest

« on: November 26, 2011, 12:08:01 PM »

It might be a crazy idea, but it's something that's come up for me a couple of times now, so I want to toss it out for analysis.


As a rule all of us operate in the same area day in and day out.  And on a regular basis the question that tends to come up is where is the nearest ... ?  (hospital, fire station, police station, etc)  I have a map (MARPLOT) that shows nothing but where these services are in my area so I can find the closest one fast.


Would it be possible to add a map layer where these constants can be predefined and turned on or off as needed, and be available to any of the mission maps?  I guess a logical extension of this could be the creation of a global map that contains this information from all across the country and the data can be maintained by local SARs.


Is there any merit to this?


Max

13

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: InstaMapper vs APRS

« on: September 22, 2011, 01:29:10 PM »

Interesting, if the data is posted to a Database someplace then MM should be able to use it. 

Does using one of these devices require a Ham Radio License?

I assume so.  aprs.fi captures the data somehow from a very distributed network.


Using an APRS transmitter requires an FCC amateur license.  Receiving/capturing the information does not require licensing.


My team made a decision to go with amateur bands for communications many years ago.  It offers tremendous capabilities over long distances.  More than 90% of our members are licensed.  APRS is an easy tool to use and aprs.fi gives us the ability to monitor the people in the field.  The down side is that mapping paths becomes an ugly cut and paste.


Max

14

Feature Requests and Issues / Re: InstaMapper vs APRS

« on: September 22, 2011, 10:37:20 AM »

I haven't dug that deep into APRS yet, but most other tracking apps only work when your mobile device is awake (i.e. screen on). 

Just for clarification, APRS is a "screen free" option.  It would be more correct to say that APRS works only when the antenna is on.  APRS units are radio transmitters (not transceivers).  Remote receivers, which already exist all over the country, pick up the signal and relay it into a database.  The data can be used to track a moving APRS beacon.  And turning them on is as simple as pressing a button or flipping a switch.  After that it's hands-free operation.

Most APRS units come in boxes just large enough to house the GPS circuit, the transmitter and the power source.  A few ounces in weight and just a few inches on the side.  They are very compact.

15

General Mission Manager Discussion / Re: Guest Access

« on: May 30, 2011, 08:15:09 PM »

In our small community we often get tasked to run large community events.  We made the decision (even before we found radish works) that we would pull our members from the field to staff the command post.

We're generally in the same boat.  A lot of our served agencies love to come to us with projects to organize, but we don't always get to fully staff ICP.  Almost always the served agency will have a liaison position -- a liaison to us to help fine-tune the plan from the agency's perspective -- and often they'll take a MAC/UC position during the event.  It's never been a hardship and for the most part they let us do our thing.  It's very rare that they do course corrections, but they tend to like having the power to do so.


I've added two of the rangers to Search Manager for an event we're doing next weekend and so far neither has logged in, so maybe that's good news.  They trust us to do this.